Earth working roller unit with dieferential speed rollers



March 16, 1965 J. c. RENAULT 3,173,493

EARTH WORKING ROLLER UNIT WITH DIFFERENTIAL SPEED ROLLERS Filed Sept. 24, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

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EARTH WORKING ROLLER UNIT WITH DIFFERENTIAL SPEED ROLLERS Filed Sept. 24, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 6 10 H 36 I mm m m :11 ml L 4 I 15 35 Z 22 8 23 8/ B 2 A i /v 2 1o A 32 28 p K D s Q/ I av March 16, 1965 c. RENAULT 3,173,493

EARTH K ROLLER U WITH DIFFEREN L SPEED R ERS Filed Sept. 24, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 6 March 16, 1965 J. c. RENAULT 3,173,493

EARTH WORKING ROLLER UNIT WITH DIFFERENTIAL SPEED ROLLERS Filed Sept. 24, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 United States Patent Cfilice 3,373,493 Patented Mar. 16, 1965 j r 3,173,433 EARTH WGRKENG ROLLER UNIT WITH DEFFERENTIAL SPEED ROLLERS Jean Q. Renault, Salinas, Calif., assignor to Gabilan Iron and Machine Company, Salinas, case, a corporation of California Filed Sept. 24, 1%3,.Ser. No. 331,1d8 Claims. ((Il. 172-49) The present invention relates in general to an earth working roller unit, and one which is especially desig11ed--but not limited-for mounting in cooperative relation on and ahead of the blade of a motor grader or the like; the invention representing improvements in the roller unit shown in my co-pending application Serial No. 65,722, filed October 28, 1960, now Patent No. 3,136,078.

The roller unit, which includes a plurality of earth working roners supported on a transverse shaft, is particularly adapted for the purpose of reducing-to relatively fine sizethe material of a roadway which has pre viously been subjected to an initial ripping and which leaves the material more or less in the form of chunks. It is desirable that such chunks be reduced to the aforesaid relatively fine size in order that the material may then be reused, on the site, in the construction of a new roadway. I

While the improved earth working roller unit, as hereinafter described, is primarily for the above use, it is well adapted for other purposes, such as agricultural earth working; the term earth thus being used herein in a broad sense. i

The major object of the present invention is to provide an earth working roller unit, as above, wherein adjacent rollers turn at dilieren'tial speed and neither at ground a speed; the result being that the chunk material is reduced in size by the roller unit in a more positive and effective manner, and more rapidly, then previously possible. Since all the rollers are provided with laterally projecting material engaging spades, and adjacent rollers turn at dilfe'rent speeds, the spades of said adjacent rollers, and which spades run at their sides relatively close to each other, exert a very effective breaking up action on the chunks of material engaged thereby. The spades are also associated with outwardly projecting teeth which further enhance such action.

An additional important object of the invention is to provide alternate ones of the rollers with novel internal mechanism arranged to cause such alternate rollers to have an operative speed different from the other or re maining rollers; all the rollers being mounted on the shaft for rotation therewith in unitary relation.

A further object of the invention is to construct the rollers so that each one includes a spaded material-engaging annulus which is made separate and detachable from the main body of the roller, so that such annulus may be replaced when worn or damaged and without having to replace the entire roller.

A further object of the invention is to provide an earth Working roller unit which is designed for ease and economy of manufacture.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a practical, reliable, and durable earth working roller unit, and one which is exceedingly elie'ctive for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side outline of a typical motor grader, showing the improved roller unit mounted thereon.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged foreshortened transverse elevation, partly broken out and in section, of the roller unit.

FiG. 3 is a longitudinal section of the roller unit, together with the adjacent portion of the motor grader, taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a cross section of a roller of the unit, partly broken away, taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 5 and on a reduced scale. 7

FIG. 5 is a diametral elevation of the roller depicted in FIG. 4, detached from its supporting shaft, and taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is an outer face elevation of the arcuate band bearing ring, detached. v

FIG. 7 is a face elevation of the holding strap for the bearing ring, detached.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged cross sectional elevation of one of the rollers, taken substantially on line 8-8 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 4 of a modified form of roller, taken on line 99 of FIG. 10 and on a reduced scale.

FIG. 10 is a diametral section of the roller depicted in FIG. 9, and taken on line 10-10 of FIG. 9.

. Referring now more particularly to the drawings and to the characters of reference marked thereon, and particularly at present to the structure of FIGS. 1-8, inclusive, the improved roller unitindicated generally at l-comprises a heavy-duty tubular shaft 2 extending between upstanding end plates 3; the shaft at its ends being provided with relatively small stub shafts 4. These stub shafts project from the ends of the tubular shaft 2 and are carried in bearings 5 secured to the end plates 3. As here shown, the end plates are rigid with supporting brackets 6 which depend from and are rigid with the vertically adjust-able draft structure 7 extending back from the front wheel unit 3 of a conventional motor grader 9. The brackets 6, together with the end plates 3, support a scraper blade ill of the usual transversely extending forwardly concave type; the blade it) being some distance behind the shaft 2. The above structure is substantially the same as shown in my hereinbefore identified co-pending application; the present invention relatihg to the particular form and mounting of the various rollers which together form the roller unit.

Such roller unit comprises a plurality of spaced rollers of one form and indicated generally at A, and intermediate rollers of the same diameter as rollers A but of a dilferent form and indicated generally at B. Each roller A, which is of hollow type, comprises a hub 11 engaging the shaft 2 and formed, outwardly of the hub, with side cheeks 12. The side cheeks l2 converge to a smooth junction with the similarly converging sides of an annulus 13 which projects radially out from the cheeks some distance and at its outer periphery is substantially sharppointed. The annulus 13 is formed separate from the cheeks 12, and at its inner periphery seats on the transverse peripheral shoulders of said cheeks. About its periphery the annulus 13 is formed with an unbroken row of V-shaped teeth 14 and with laterally projecting spades 1'5 011 the sides thereof; the spades being disposed substantially radially of the roller. p

The annulus 13 projects, as at 16, radially inward a short distance from the peripheral edges of the cheeks which, together with the corresponding portions of the hub iii, are made separate from each other and from the annulus. The inwardly projecting portion 16 of the annulus, which closely engages the facing side edge portions S of the cheeks i2, is formed with a number of circumferentially spaced notches 17 which receive lugs 18 formed on and projecting from the cheeks in alternating relation. In this manher the annulus is retained in rotating relation with the cheeks while being capable of detachment therefrom, as when a replacement is necessary, upon separation of the cheeks from each other and removal thereof from the supporting shaft.

effected by means later described.

Each roller B, as shown particularly in FIGS. 4 and 5, comprises a main hub 19 which closely engages the shaft 2. Turnable on said hub in such a manner as to be incapable of lateral or axial movement thereon are the spaced auxiliary hubs 2ilof the roller proper-from which converging cheeks 21 project radially outwardly. An annulus 22 projects radially out from and is seated on said cheeks; said annulus 22 being the same diameter and shape as the annulus 13 of each roller A, and is formed with peripheral teeth 23 and with laterally projecting spades 24 arranged the same as on each annulus 13.

The annulus 22 is also formed with an internal sprocket gear 25 which projects between the cheeks 21 into the space 26 formed between the cheeks radially out from the hubs 20. The checks 21 are connected detachably clamped to the gear, radially out from the teeth 27 thereof, by circumferentially spaced bolts 28. The hub 19 is formed with a spur sprocket gear 29 which is transversely alined with the gear 25 but spaced radially inward therefrom a distance greater than the radial width of an endless chain 30 engageable with the teeth of both gears, which are of the same pitch. In order to enable the chain, which is longer than the circumferential extent of the gear 29, to simultaneously engage opposed portions of both gears, an arcuate band 31 extends along the space between the gears. Such band 31 is concentric to the gears and is positioned relative to gear 25 so that the chain, which is deflected from engagement with the gear 29 by said band, will ride on the band and will then engage the adjacent portion of the gear 25, as shown in FIG. 4. The band 31 is integral with a bearing ring 31a which rides on the hub 19 and is disposed between said hub and the adjacent cheek 21 of the related roller B; said cheek also riding on said ring, and the latter being formed so that it is held against axial movement relative to the hub and roller, as shown in FIG. 5. The ring 3111 is held against rotative movement relative to the hub 19 and roller B by means which will be described later. By reason of the above described arrangement, it will be seen that as the hub 19 rotates, the roller mounted thereon will be rotated at a somewhat slower speed.

In order to cause the hubs 11 of all the rollers A, as well as all the hubs 19 of rollers B, and the shaft 2, to be rotated in unison, the following arrangement is provided:

All of said hubs have detachable interlocking notched engagement with each other, as shown at 32. At one end of the roller unit, a disc 33 is rigidly secured on the adjacent end of the shaft 2 and has detachable interlocking notched engagement with the adjacent end of the hub 11 of the adjacent roller A, as shown at 34. At the other end of the roller unit, a ring 35 is slidably mounted on the shaft and is keyed, as at 36, against rotation thereon. This ring also has releasable notched engagement with the adjacent end of the adjacent roller.

The ring 35 is engaged by a radially split nut 37 which is threaded on the adjacent end of the shaft 2 as at 37a. By means of this nut the ring 35 may be advanced into pushing engagement with the adjacent roller, the hubs of all said rollers will be moved into locking engagement with each other while at the same time the cheeks of all the rollers A will be moved into clamping engagement with the related annuli, and the hub of the last roller A in the row will be firmly interlocked with the fixed end disc 33. The hubs of all the rollers, together with the shaft 2, will thus be rotated as a unit. At the same time, the cheeks of all the rollers A will be held in close engagement with the related annuli.

Upon the removal of the shaft 2 from the mounting bearings 5, the various rollers may be withdrawn from one end of the shaft after the nut 37 and ring 35 have been removed therefrom. Thereafter, the cheeks of any roller may be separated from each other and the corresponding annulus may be removed and replaced if neces- This may be sary. Since the annulus is the only portion of any roller subject to severe wear, the described arrangement avoids having to replace the entire roller and the making of the latter out of the same expensive and highly tempered metal as that required for the annulus; manufacturing and maintenance costs thus being reduced accordingly.

As in the aforementioned co-pending application, spaced cross beams 38 are connected to and extend between the end plates 3 directly above the roller unit in vertically spaced relation thereto. The beams 38 support crusher bars 39 in depending relation; such bars being disposed centrally between the spades of adjacent rollers and being secured to the beams by bolts 40 which project through the space between the beams as clearly shown in FIG. 3.

Certain ones 39a of the crusher bars, which are those just laterally out from the aforementioned bearing rings of the rollers B, are rigid at their lower ends with circular holding straps 39b each provided with circumferentially spaced notches N about its inner periphery and which engage over correspondingly spaced lugs or dogs D projecting laterally out from the face of the adjacent ring 31a. In this manner, the different rings 31a are held against rotation relative to the hubs 19 and the rollers B.

In FIGS. 9 and 10, a modified form of roller B is shown. Such roller, indicated generally at B is essentially the same in its general features, as roller B. Such roller B thus comprises a main notched-end hub 19a, laterally spaced auxiliary roller hubs 20a turnably mounted on the hub 19a and held against lateral shifting movement thereon, separate cheeks 21a converging outwardly and providing an open space 26a therebetween, and a toothed and spaded annulus 22a projecting outwardly from the checks. The diiference between each roller B and roller B lies in the means to drive the roller from the main hub, and which will now be described:

An internal spur gear 41 is formed with and projects radially inward from the annulus 22a between the cheeks 21a, to which it is secured by bolts 28a. The hub 19a is formed, centrally of its width, with a deep circumferential groove 42 in the bottom of which a spur gear 43 is formed and which is concentric with but, of course, spaced from and smaller than the internal gear 41. Circumferentially spaced pairs of meshing pinions 44 and 45 are disposed in the space 26a; the pinions 44 meshing with the gear 41, and the pinions 45 meshing with the gear 43 as clearly shown in FIG. 9.

The spindles 46 of all the pinions are mounted on a carrier ring 47 which is turnable on the hub 19a in the same manner as the ring 31a previously described, and which is formed and maintained in a stationary position relative to the roller and hub in the same manner as said ring 31a. By reason of this arrangement, it will be seen that the two gears together with the hub 19a and the annulus 22a, will be turned in the same direction as either one or the other is rotated, but at different speeds as determined by the difference in size of the two gears relative to each other.

In operation, with advance of the roller unit along and in engagement with the ground, said unit will be rotated and will engage the previously broken up or chunk material in its path, effectively crushing and reducing the size of such material. Due to the provision of the intermediate slower-turning rollers, i.e. the differential speed between adjacent rollers, an advantageous grinding effect is produced between the cooperating spades of adjacent rollers and which is, of course, enhanced (as to material riding over the roller unit from the rear) where the spades pass by the stationary crusher bars at the top of said roller unit.

Additional advantages obtained are a surface-tending effect as the teeth 14 and the spades 15 penetrate the surface; a zig-zag motion of the materials at the point of pressure instead of a straight-line pressure; and a better feed back of the materials for accumulation between the grader blade 10 and the roller unit and in which area the size reducing action is continued by the rear portion of the roller unit.

Also, the counteracting forces between the differential speed rollers of the ground driven roller unit cause the latter to turn as a whole at less than ground speed; this being a factor which substantially aids the material size educing action of the unit.

It may be noted that while the rollers A and B are shown as being of the same size, it may in certain instances be desira le to make the rollers B of a larger diameter than the rollers A. This difference in size would cause the rollers A to be rotated at faster than ground speed, as is desirable when a Roto Tilling or fine-mulch dirt treatment in agricultural operations is being carried out.

From the foregoing description, it will be readily seen that there has been produced such a device as substantially fulfills the odjects of the invention, as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new and useful and upon which Letters Patent is desired:

1. An earth working roller unit including, with a transverse shaft and a supporting structure in which the shaft is turnable, a plurality of side-by-side rollers on the shaft, means mounting alternate ones or" the rollers for rotation with the shaft at shaft speed, and means mounting intermediate rollers for rotation with the shaft but at a slower speed; each intermediate roller including a main hub turnable with the shaft, the roller being turnable on the :hub, a gear fixed on and extending about the hub, an internal gear rigid with the roller concentric with the first named gear and spaced radially outward therefrom while being in a common vertical plane therewith, and means between the gears connecting the same in driving relation but at different relative speeds.

2. A unit, as in claim 1, in which each intermediate roller is hollow, and said gears and said connecting means are disposed within the hollow area of the roller.

3. A unit, as in claim 1, in which the last named means comprises an endless chain radially narrower than the space between the gears, an arcuate chain-deflecting band disposed in said space concentric with the shaft and extending across the plane of the gears, the chain engaging the hub gear beyond the band and then passing over the band and engaging the adjacent portion of the internal gear while riding on the band, and means mounting the band in a stationary position relative to the roller and hub.

4. A unit, as in claim 3, in which the last named means comprises a ring turnable on the hub laterally out from and rigid with the band, lugs on and projecting laterally out from the ring, a strap notched to engage the lugs in non-movable relation, and a rigid connection member between said strap and the supporting structure.

5. A unit, as in claim 1, in which the last named means comprises a pair of meshing pinions disposed in the space between the gears, one pinion meshing with one gear and the other pinion meshing with the other gear, and means mounting the pinions in a stationary position relative to the gears.

6. An earth working roller unit including, with a transverse shaft and a supporting structure in which the shaft is turnable, a row of rollers on the shaft, each roller comprising a pair of axially separated hub elements slidably engaging the shaft, cheeks integral with and projecting radially outward from each of the :hub element in converging relation and separate from each ot er, a ground engaging and working annulus separate from the cheeks projecting radially outward therefrom, an extension on the annulus projecting radially inward therefrom between and engaging the facing side edges of the fcld-j'ctCfillhPOIilOllS of the cheeks, lugs projecting laterally inward from the cheeks of each of the hub elements in circumferentially staggered relation across the extension adjacent the radial 1y inner periphery thereof, said extension being notched to receive the lugs, and means on the shaft releasably engaging the hub elements to hold the cheeks engaged with the annulus; the opposed ends of the hub elements of all the rollers normally engaging each other.

7. An earth working roller unit including, with a transerse supporting shaft, a plurality of side-by-side rollers on the shaft, each roller comprising a pair of axially separate hub elements engaging the shaft, cheeks integral with and projecting radially outwardly from each of the hub elements, a continuous ground engaging and working annulus separate from the cheek projecting radially outward therefrom being located between the hub elements, and means detachably connecting the annulus to the cheeks and the latter to each other.

8. A unit, as in claim 7, in which the annulus is formed with a continuous row of teeth projecting radially outward about the periphery of the annulus, and with circumferentially spaced spades projecting laterally outward from opposite sides of said annulus radially inward from the teeth.

9. A unit, as in claim 7, in which said means comprises an extension on the annulus projecting radially inward therefrom between and engaging the facing side edges of the adjacent portions of the cheeks, and means holding the extension in clamped contact with said edges and against rotation relative thereto.

10. An earth working roller unit including a rotatably mounted shaft having a plurality of earth working rollers mounted thereon, each roller comprising a hub portion engaging the shaft and a ground engaging earth working annulus surrounding the hub portion, means connecting the annuli of alternate rollers to their respective hub portions for rotation with the shaft at shaft speed, and means connecting the intermediate rollers in driving relation with their respective hub portions for rotation at speeds difierent from the shaft speed.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 137,446 3/44 Schmeiser 172-537 382,612 5/88 Jensen 172-537 721,580 2/03 Lubin 172-122 1,057,472 4/13 Wiley 172-122 1,325,416 12/19 Scranton 172-540 1,802,556 4/31 Hendricks 172-537 1,884,720 10/32 Karl 172-548 2,501,364 3/50 Traver 172-548 2,749,827 6/56 Harfert 172-549 T. GRAHAM CRAVER, Primary Examiner. ARNOLD RUEGG, Examiner. 

1. AN EARTH WORKING ROLLER UNIT INCLUDING, WITH A TRANSVERSE SHAFT AND A SUPPORTING STRUCTURE IN WHICH THE SHAFT IS TURNABLE, A PLURALITY OF SIDE-BY-SIDE ROLLERS ON THE SHAFT, MEANS MOUNTING ALTERNATE ONES OF THE ROLLERS FOR ROTATION WITH THE SHAFT AT SHAFT SPEED, AND MEANS MOUNTING INTERMEDIATE ROLLERS FOR ROTATION WITH THE SHAFT BUT AT A SLOWER SPEED; EACH INTERMEDIATE ROLLER INCLUDING A MAIN HUB TURNABLE WITH THE SHAFT, THE ROLLER BEING TURNABLE ON THE HUB, A GEAR FIXED ON AND EXTENDING ABOUT THE HUB, AN INTERNAL GEAR RIGID WITH THE ROLLER CONCENTRIC WITH THE FIRST NAMED GEAR AND SPACED RADIALLY OUTWARD THEREFROM WHILE BEING IN A COMMON VERTICAL PLANE THEREWITH, AND MEANS BETWEEN THE GEARS CONNECTING THE SAME IN DRIVING RELATION BUT AT DIFFERENT RELATIVE SPEEDS. 